Our Daily News Letter

July 6, 1926

Bucharest (Jun. 20)

(By Our Bucharest Correspondent)

The renewal recently of the anti-Semitic student excesses in this country, coupled with the freedom of action enjoyed by the anti-Semitic leaders, Cuzaet al, so conspicuous during the Parliamentary elections, indicate that the fear entertained in some Jewish quarters that the new cabinet under Averescu would not result in any noticeable improvement for the Jews, was not unfounded.

The Roumanian press of liberal tendency terms Averescu’s cabinet “Vice-Government,” owing to the cabinet’s weakness and its actual dependence on the group which was in control of the former government, Bratianu and his followers. The Jews consider that in reality there has been no change and that we have simply got another edition of the old government. The composition of the new Cabinet confirms this statement. A few retired generals with the aged General Averescu at their head, two or three deserters from the Opposition who have grasped the opportunity of getting into power, a few colorless professors and to top all, the Minister for the Interior, Octavian Goga-the national bard of the Roumania of a bygone day, who has lately exchanged his poetical quill for a Fascist pen, and who is full of hatred against the Jews and all humanity.

Although the new Government is outspokenly anti-Jewish, its anti-Semitism does not carry a political but purely a matter-of-fact character. The supporters of Averescu are what are known in the small Jewish towns as “good Gentiles.” They are tractable and are fond of Jewish “filled fish.” They “fraternize” with the Jews, however, only so long as it pays them to do so and in case of need they change their tactics. The unveiled amity between the government party and the Cuza anti-Semitic gang during the Parliamentary elections was but a continuation of the Bratianu tradition, which always publicly proclaimed its belief in the principles of interracial and national friendship, etc., while simultaneously giving aid and comfort to the Jew-baiting cohorts.

The supporters of Averescu do not cherish any undue respect for the Jews. The “Vice-Government” is conscious of its weakness and is well aware of the fact that a party which was represented in the last Parliament by only five deputies and which came into power only through the favor of the Court cannot afford to quarrel with the whole world because of its Jews. This is the reason why Averescu flirts quite openly with Cuza and makes love to all sorts of Fascists.